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Cristiano Ronaldo's trophy-winning prowess a constant amid his personal evolution
CARDIFF, Wales – For Cristiano Ronaldo, the Champions League final brought another night of triumph. Ronaldo scored twice, becoming the first man since Alfredo di Stefano to score in three European finals. He won the Champions League for a fourth time, helping Real Madrid rout Juventus 4-1 to become the first side since AC Milan in 1990 to successfully defend the title. And he all but ensured that he will win the Ballon d’Or for a fifth time, taking him level with Lionel Messi. Individual awards in football may be pointless baubles, but they matter to him.
This was a masterclass in Ronaldo 3.0. The first age of Cristiano cast him as a lank-haired teenager, a thin, whippet-like presence forever overcomplicating and embarking on needless dribbles. The second age saw him become much more discerning in the usage of his immense talent, coupling astonishing technical skill with an extraordinary physique. This third era, which has been going on perhaps 18 months now, sees him as a pared down talent, a player who is still physically imposing, but who lacks the explosive pace of old, who eschews dribbling almost entirely, and who operates in a much smaller zone around the penalty area.
Rested Ronaldo makes all the difference for Real Madrid in its trophy pursuits
Other than the two goals, it’s hard to remember much of what Ronaldo did in the final. There were a couple of tumbles early on as he was out-muscled by defenders, and plaintive appeals to the referee. But it had seemed Juventus was dealing with him relatively successfully when, after 20 minutes, he exchanged passes with Dani Carvajal and swept a shot into the bottom corner via a deflection off the toe of Leonardo Bonucci. Fortunate? Perhaps, a little. But then his awareness and the speed of the interchange with Carvajal were what created the opening. Had his shot been, say, three inches to the left, it probably would have missed Bonucci’s foot and beaten Buffon anyway.
His second was a classic poacher’s goal. As he darted across the near post to meet Luka Modric’s cross with a deft flick, he could have been Gary Lineker or Michael Owen. The finish was harder than it looked requiring a knowledge of Buffon’s positioning, but the key aspect was his anticipation, of knowing where and when Modric was going to deliver the ball and making sure he was there before the defenders.
Rare Photos of Cristiano Ronaldo
1987
A 23-month old Cristiano Ronaldo smiles for the camera.
2001
Cristiano Ronaldo practices with Portugal U17.
2002
Cristiano Ronaldo lies injured while playing for Sporting Lisbon before his transfer to the English Premiership team Manchester United.
2003
Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United teammates Diego Forlan and Ruud van Nistelrooy pose with Casey Ogden during the players' annual visit to children's hospitals in Manchester.
2005
Cristiano Ronaldo was the center of attention during an appearance on Herman SIC
2006
Cristiano Ronaldo attends Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics tour at the Manchester Evening News Arena.
2007
After giving Christmas gifts to a group of underprivileged children, Cristiano Ronaldo takes time to sign autographs.
2007
Cristiano Ronaldo and Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu attend the debut of the New Seven Wonders of the World at Luz stadium in Lisbon.
2008
Cristiano Ronaldo and Adrian Grenier strike a pose during a party in Hollywood.
2008
Cristiano Ronaldo didn't let an injury get in the way of his beach time during a visit to Malibu.
2008
Cristiano Ronaldo with his Barclays Player of the Year, Golden Boot and 30 League Goals awards at Carrington Training Ground in Manchester, England.
2008
Cristiano Ronaldo autographs a team jersey for a Saudi man after arriving at King Khaled airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2008
Cristiano Ronaldo kisses his "Golden Shoe 2008" award, presented to Europe's best goal scorer.
2008
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portuguese national teammate Aziza Makukula pose in a cockpit on their way to Zurich.
2009
WWE star Rey Mysterio with Cristiano Ronaldo as they visit Valdebebas in Madrid.
2010
Cristiano Ronaldo with Russell Crowe during the actor's visit to Madrid.
2009
Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani celebrate in the dressing room after the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester.
2010
Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul Gonzalez pose with Rafael Nadal at the Madrid Open tennis tournament.
2010
Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Da Silvano Restaurant in New York City after having lunch.
2011
Cristiano Ronaldo and girlfriend, model Irina Shayk, watch Rafael Nadal serve during a tennis match on day nine of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open.
2011
Cristiano Ronaldo participates in a kart race with his Real Madrid teammates at Carlos Sainz Center in Madrid.
2011
Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk attend the Marie Claire Prix de la Mode gala at the French Ambassador's Residence in Madrid.
2012
Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk attend the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament at La Caja Magica.
2012 Cristiano Ronaldo and Queen Sofia of Spain
Queen Sofia of Spain presents Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo with the Ibero-American Community Trophy during the National Sports Awards ceremony at El Pardo Palace in Madrid.
2013
Cristiano Ronaldo leans in to kiss Irina Shayk as they attend the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament at La Caja Magica.
2013
Cristiano Ronaldo and former player David Beckham pose after a training session at UCLA Campus in Los Angeles.
2013
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo kicks around a baseball as Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig looks on prior to the Dodgers game against the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
2013
Cristiano Ronaldo launches his CR7 underwear line in Madrid.
2013
Cristiano Ronaldo attends the unveiling of his wax figure at the Museo de Cera (Wax Museum) in Madrid.
2014
FIFA Ballon d'Or nominee Cristiano Ronaldo, his son Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., and Irina Shayk arrive at the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2013 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland. Ronaldo won the award as FIFA top player over Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery.
2015
FIFA Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo signals during the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2014 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland.
2016
Cristiano Ronaldo sprays his fragance 'Cristiano Ronaldo Legacy' at World Duty Free store at Barajas airport in Madrid.
Although he had six shots in the game, Ronaldo touched the ball only 37 times, fewer than any other outfielder who finished the game other than Gonzalo Higuain. A player who once frustrated with his insistence on ornamentation and over-elaboration has become a devastating minimalist. This has been a trend throughout the knockout stages. He has scored 10 goals in Madrid’s last five games in the competition and repeatedly the question after games has been, “Apart from the hat trick, what did he actually do?”
• Cristiano Ronaldo scores 600th goal of his career for club and country
In that sense, Ronaldo is a throwback. Modern football is not supposed to have any room for players who only score. This is supposed to be the age of the universal player, in which even goalscorers press and tackle and hassle and harry. But then, Real Madrid itself is something of a throwback.
It doesn’t stand for any philosophy. Nobody in the future will look back at this side that has won three of the last four Champions Leagues and see it as a pioneer of anything. It’s just full of extremely good players–itself a facet of the club’s wealth. Arrigo Sacchi always argued that a side’s tactics should have a multiplicatory effect, that the whole should be greater than the sum of its parts. Perhaps that is true for this Madrid, but it’s certainly not as true as it was for Sacchi’s Milan, the last side to win back-to-back European titles.
Beloved in native Costa Rica, Keylor Navas still proves himself at Real Madrid
There was plenty of skepticism about the Madrid of 2016, which was arguably the weakest of the 11 Real Madrid sides to have won the Champions League. Then, its route to the final was straightforward as it beat Roma, Wolfsburg and a supine Manchester City before overcoming Atletico Madrid in the final on penalties.
There can be no such doubts this time. Madrid had beaten Napoli, Bayern Munich and Atletico before a 4-1 win over the Italian champion, Juventus. It has proved itself unquestionably the best side in Europe. What that actually means is another issue. Romantics who see teambuilding as being about more than simply buying lots of very good players will never entirely warm to them.
But what cannot be denied is that in this era of superclubs, Madrid is the superset and Ronaldo is the embodiment of that.
An accomplished author of multiple books, Jonathan Wilson is one of the world’s preeminent minds on soccer tactics and history.